Meet our staff

I have gained good experience as a Service manager,Team Manager and Social Worker within several Local Authorities. This is included in several geographical localities, with a specific remit of identifying performance issues within the organisation, developing and implementing new structures to improve the service provided to young people and their families.  I was successful in achieving and bringing around the required improvements within services to homeless and vulnerable children within Essex. Achieving positive outcomes for children and young people has been and will continue to be the focus whilst driving REACH forward.

Within REACH we have created a learning environment and place great importance on reflective supervision with all workers. We utilise systemic supervision to provide staff with the required environment to learn and develop. I recognise that due to the nature of work we do at REACH with children and families, workers need to be given the opportunity to develop and to explore their emotional reactions and to enhance their resilience to manage complex situations.  As an organisation our strength is encouraging workers to share their skills with their colleagues, bringing members of our service together, and inspiring a collaborative vision. In following this approach this has resulted in establishing positive outcomes for the children and families we work with at REACH. As a result, this leads to a supportive team environment, greater team stability, staff retention and better outcomes for children and families.  

My passion is to identify and provide effective  interventions to families and children to ensure the proportionate, appropriate and relevant support is in place to provide positive outcomes and avoid unnecessary and intrusive interventions.We need to work with families and children on an individual basis ensuring we harness the unique qualities and strengths of each family.

I am immensely proud of our team at REACH and the tireless efforts of the management and workers to ensure children, families and other agencies such as Education, Social Care,Youth Offending, Family Solutions and Charities are provided the best service possible to REACH positive outcomes for children and their families.

At REACH we believe that "success is built on belief" and that as an organisation we have a responsibility to ensure children and families are supported to be the best version of themselves, to persevere through adversity and ensure our interventions are bespoke to each individual child and family.

I have over 15 years of experience specialising in engaging with vulnerable children, young people and families, across both Education and Social Care sectors. I enjoy training staff in Direct Work, de-escalation techniques and how to engage children in sessions using strengths-based approaches. My extensive Solution Focused training and Advanced Non Violent Resistance (NVR) training have proved invaluable in making breakthroughs and building rapport with disenfranchised children. I have been privileged to run family groups in Non Violent Resistance (NVR) and the Families Learning About Self Harm programmes (FLASH) whilst in previous roles. 

I worked for both D-Bit (Divisional Based Intervention Team) and Family Solutions when employed by Essex County Council. This has given me an excellent grounding and understanding of the Social Care system whilst also being able to work closely with schools and other agencies.  I have worked with a number of esteemed colleagues, who have supported my development.

I am privileged and excited to manage an "outstanding" team at Reach Essex and continue to build on the excellent relations with schools and other wonderful teams across the County including Schools, Social Care, Youth Offending teams, Family Solutions and EWMHS. I am always keen to learn from colleagues and hope our positive inter-agency partnership work can help get children back into school and improve their family outcomes. 

Outside of work, I am an avid reader who was lucky enough to travel extensively learning about animals from Australia to the Galapagos Islands. Whilst abroad I wrote a book called 'The Primate Puzzle' to help raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital as they saved my life as a child. I am a keen cinema goer who loves a game of Scrabble in my spare time. Although I do admit to reading Scrabble books so I can win at Word Feud with 'zax' or 'qadi'. 

Learning that 'failing well' is the key to success; it builds belief and resilience in both old and young alike. My favourite character in a book would be Tigger, as 'bounce back ability' in life, work and school will serve us all well. 

I'm Lucy, and I started with REACH during Lock-down. I moved back to Essex from London and finding this job couldn't have come at a better time.

I love my role at REACH and doing what I feel is my chosen path, of supporting and encouraging young people to choose the most positive life choices whilst taking into account challenges, they are presented with.

Having worked in several Local Authorities my approaches to working with children has evolved and changed over time. I have extensive knowledge of differing proven methodologies and I work in a way that meets each and every young person and families specific needs.

I have many years experience of working with young people in all areas, for example, I have worked with young people in, Leaving Care, Residential care, Domestic Abuse, Children in Care, Children With Disabilities, Special Educational Needs Mentor, i have worked across Social Care and Educational sectors allowing me to have an extensive knowledge of the two main industries that seek to support children.

Being back in Essex and working for REACH is in my opinion, a wonderful support, for me is what in my age group would call AWESOME!

I have worked extensively with young people throughout a career spanning 33 years, covering a variety of roles, which include working with disadvantaged youth on a weekly basis in a mentoring capacity. This included devising programmes to promote mental health and well being, this included organising holiday clubs and residential expeditions.

I have been instrumental in the development and outworking of different initiatives including a parent and toddler group, a monthly free outreach programme to a local, disadvantaged area, providing food and activities for youth and children.

I am a qualified Domestic Violence Facilitator in the Freedom Programme, which is a 12 week programme working alongside young women suffering from domestic violence, enabling them to recognise when a partner is being abusive, also identifying controlling behaviours.

I have a real heart to make a difference in the lives I meet.I have  volunteered at a homeless shelter, running a programme at Chelmsford prison for young offenders, travelling to Mexico, Los Angeles and more recently Moldova, where I have led a team working with young people raising awareness of anti-trafficking.

In the last couple of years I have worked within schools mentoring students, identified by the school as struggling with their mental health and anxiety. I have also been part of a team delivering ‘Flourish’ which is a six week self esteem course.

Working with REACH has enabled me to fulfil my passion for working with those that society may have "written off", challenging the young people to break through the barriers that would stop them from reaching their full potential and seeing their true value.

 I am passionate about helping adults and children alike to realise their potential and be the best versions of themselves.  I consider myself to be a good listener and a calming influence who is able to build a rapport with people easily.

I am an arts and crafts enthusiast and recently gained a Talking Through Art Therapy Qualification. I have both work and personal experience helping people through difficult times. I have gained qualifications in counselling and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy since joining REACH which has positively impacted my practice and the bespoke interventions provided to all children, families and adult service users i am working with at REACH. 

Other than my children my other big love are my fur babies.  I love all animals and recently one of my dogs was registered as a therapy dog and accompanied me to work quite often. 

I have taught students from reception to year 11 and, during my years in education, developed a passion for supporting students who find learning difficult. At the heart of my lessons is a focus on the student and what they need. I enjoy creating lessons centred around a pupil's own interests.

In my previous role as an Intervention Manager, I have developed a specialist knowledge in building reading strategies for secondary pupils and can teach, using a phonics-based approach, how to improve reading ages with a clear strategy of synthesis and segmentation.Recently I have been creating my own programme of maths booster lessons for pupils in key stage 3 to help close gaps in maths skills. 

I firmly believe in helping my students feel ready to learn to get the best from them and help them achieve their potential. This means giving them a listening ear; space when they need it and lots of encouragement and kindness to support them through obstacles. 

I have been involved in education in various forms since I left full-time education myself. I’ve worked 

as a teaching assistant, drama instructor and full-time primary teacher. 

Whilst studying for my degree in performing arts, I worked as part of a theatre in education group  

employed by Hull City Council to assist in parenting workshops for families struggling with hard  

hitting issues such as drug misuse, bullying, and other anti-social behaviour. 

The holistic ethos at REACH echoes a lot of my personal values in education.  I’m passionate about  

identifying barriers to learning and equipping young people with the confidence and skills to  

overcome these obstacles and provide opportunities and pathways to reach their potential and  

achieve success. 

I have 16 years experience working in education across different settings including mainstream, PRU's and special schools.

During this time I have fulfilled many different roles from family support worker to PE teacher and everything in between.

My years of professional experience within this field has taught me to be able to adapt in very challenging situations.  With the use of a calm voice, relaxed body language and many other strategies depending on the individuals needs.

I am incredibly enthusiastic about my role at REACH as I believe it will give me the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of our young people and help them progress as individuals.

My aim is to put a smile on the face of every child I work with so they enjoy every single session they have with us and to encourage them to reach their potential whilst identifying their own abilities and strengths. 

During the course of my career I have had lots of success engaging  vulnerable, hard to reach and high risk young people within an educational and vocational context. 

By having an understanding of the barriers to learning and vocational attainment as well as using an empathic approach I have mentored, educated and facilitated the achievement of positive outcomes  with some of the most disadvantaged young people in London and Essex, many of whom have been witnesses, perpetrators and victims of gang related violence. 

During my career I have established and maintained excellent working

relationships with various organisations in order to provide both vocational and educational  opportunities to the young people I work with.

In addition to co-ordinating alternative education and mentoring programmes, both within and outside of mainstream schools, I have provided consultancy to global network organisations with the aim of building their capacity to deliver

outcomes with young people.

 I am really passionate about designing and implementing new programmes that address the needs of the young people I work with and   I 'm really excited to have now joined the team at REACH, as I feel that not only can I apply my skill set and experience to benefit disadvantaged young people in my own community, I feel that the organisation's values are completely aligned with my own in regards to helping young people realise their potential.

I have over twenty years administration experience having worked within both the social housing sector and also the education sector.

During this time I have engaged with all types of people from all different walks of life.  This has given me a wealth of knowledge and experience which I can share with the team here at REACH.

As the Reach Administrator I am able to provide full administrative support to the Reach Team to enable them to continue to provide outstanding service to our clients.